Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. Matthew 14:29
What a moment! Peter discovers that the power of Christ takes him beyond the level of his own ability, so that he can obey the Word of Christ in a way that would not otherwise be possible.
So here is another great picture of the Christian life. The Christian life is beyond your natural ability. But Jesus Christ gives you the power with the command.
That’s the great difference between the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament God says, “Thou shalt.” He gives the command, but the Old Testament story shows us that God’s commands are beyond our ability. We cannot live the life God calls us to.
In the New Testament, Jesus also says, “Thou shalt,” because he did not come to abolish the law. He came to make it possible for you. He did this by removing its condemnation through his death on the cross, and by imparting the gift of new life in the Holy Spirit to all who would come to him in repentance and faith.
Jesus turned the condemning word of the law, which we could not keep, into the life-giving word of the law that he places within our hearts. The law gives us the direction God wants us to move. And now it is possible for us to move in this direction by the power of the Spirit.
The command of Jesus that was impossible for Peter became possible for him by the power of Christ, and Peter walked on the water.
Where do you feel the need to move beyond your own ability?
